The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-12-08

oicu MS nome; MS hoy was saying:
"Papa, will you bring me plenty ot
Chinese toys?'
Mime. Robeline opened the window
she pointed the ship to her husband.
You must 60, Henry! l am crazy.
do not know what I am saying. -
The Francis GARNER cast off he1
moorings; her captain was on the
bridge. When crossing the entrance
OF the roadstcad he turned around,
seaching beyond the blue gulf. under
the palm and orange trees, his white
cottage OF Tamais, where he had lef;
his life. On the balcony silhouette
appeared, a hand waved handker-
chief, sent kiss, and the vision was a
short one. From the interior of the
room voice had called Mamma, "
and the officer did not see the appa.
rition any more.
He went to his cabin, took calendar
covered with penciled notches at the
month of July's column. Each one in
dicated a putting in, that is to say a
telegram that he would receive from
Port Said to, Hong Kong. In the last
kiss, he had said to his wife, this phrase
sad and cruel: II will be more tor
tured than you! No matter what may
happen send me u message to each
port. Use the word Hope if he is bet
ter, and Courage f. A sob had
shortened what he wanted to say.
''Courager' repeated he. "Cour-
age! What irony! Can one have cour-
age when death takes his childr'
He rose, dismissing the terrible idea.
The joyfal noise of the war soon exas-
sperated him. He ordered some man
9uvers, invented for himself duties to
perform, incredible fatigues to bear, to
divert hinfrom thinking.
The days would not pass, and the sea
would not end.
At last, Port Said is reached. Hope,
read the dispatch.
''It is dated from the day before, and
perhaps since
Once out of the SucZ Canal, Robeline
gave orders to the engineer to double
the speed. At Obock he received an
other message, "Hope;" but at Co.
lombo, where in his anxiety he arrived
in advance, he found nothing. Not
withstanding his formal instructions he
remained at the anchorage for awhile.
Finally he had to go. Already he had
grown old; he ate and slept no more.
Sometimes he locked himself up, Civ
ing the ship in charge to his first
officer
At Saigon the first sampan that came
alongside his ship brought him dis
patch: ''Grand Hope" He kissed the
paper soiled by the Anamitc's paws;
but suddenly he thought that may be
his wife was not telling the truth. ''She
wants me to arrive at Fort Cheon, my
mind at rest. to prevent me from ex-
posing myself too much. Oh! how to
know?"
And one month of his salary was ex-
pended in sending long kilograms ask
ing for details.
Hong Kong! He arrived at two a.
m. The places of business, the French
Consulate, in fact, every house was
closed. He never thought of that; he
went ashore as he could not remain on
board; he promenaded the deserted
streets until daybreak. When the city
awoke he ran to the window of the
Office and a message was
handed to him. "Be confident; a great
deal better. Marcel is saved" The
Consul, to whom he paid an early visit,
dressed in full uniform. supposed him
to be either drunk or sun-stricken.
The immense joy of Robeline escaped
the fatality of a reaction. The 22d of
August he had new fever, the fever
oftcombat. Itwas at Fort Cheon, and
the Francis GARNER having small
iraught, Admiral Courbet employed
her for all the operations impossible
to larger men-of-war. Ten times Lieu
tenant Robeline distinguished himself
His exaltation gained every one around
him; he had double life; noisily brave,
taking his revenge of the gone bad
hours of his existence, with continual
need of scattering his returned youth
and energy in an exuberance of happi-
ness.
With his ships boats only he took a
Chinese sloop-of-war. His name was
mentioned in the orders of the day-a
distinction seldom conferred.
A few hours after the squadron had
departed from the Mien river Courbet
called Robeline to his ship. The tele-
graph had just brought the answer of
,he Government to the demand for re-
wards made by the Admiral for his
valiant sailors.
"Robeline, good shake hand. You
are a Captain of frigate!"
And the Lieutenant. in the excess of
MS Joy, threw his arms around the
neck.
What is the matter, RobelineP Can
7ou not stand prosperity"
"Ah Admiral, l beg your pardon, if
'ou knew how happy am!'
sxUYon ,1uI -